After being acquired just before the NBA Trade Deadline, Shelvin Mack had an impressive debut with the Utah Jazz.
Make no mistake about it–there’s a point guard battle in Salt Lake City. After trading for Atlanta Hawks point-man Shelvin Mack, the Utah Jazz now have four point guards on their roster (including the injured Dante Exum). For his part, Mack made a compelling case for minutes in his debut with the team on Sunday in Portland.
In 24 minutes of play against the Trail Blazers, the newest Jazzman scored 16 points, dished out six assists and collected three rebounds for his new team in a hard-fought loss at the Moda Center.
His name may not incite the same reaction from fans as Jeff Teague or Ty Lawson and some may have even felt deflated by the move to acquire him, but the deal to bring Mack to Utah was one that could pay huge dividends this season and beyond.
Here are five reasons that the trade to get Mack from the Hawks was the right move for the Jazz.
Next: No. 5: The Price Was Right